Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-20


Paul.
"Oh, no! l see. You think that Pm
like q bear-so rough and ugly that
can't wake up the tender passion. Blu
mark you, Master Paul, bear is great OF
hugging."
"If you always hug to so good q pur
pose as you did last night, you will wiz
applause-not blame" said Paul with s
laugh.
And he rode up to the side of Stella
and for the hundredth time at Least
Pressed her hand ard looked the love
and Joy which no words could then eX
press.
CHAPTER Xiv.
By the time the sun had reached it,
meridian Mccullough and mis- party
nearly got to the fringe of timber before
spoken of, where he had left his gang OF
prisoners under guard. But, while they
were yet mile or more distant, the keen
eyes of the ranger chief detected long
line of dark specks far away in the rear
black and swiftly-rising mass; and, as
he pointed 10 it, ne said:
"There will be nair lost before sun
set"
care you pursued" asked Mr.. De-
/ lorme.
eyes; the whole horde of Comanches
and Lipans are after US. They probably
num7er thousands; and, if we can't keep
out of their way, they'll run US down by
/ the mere weight of numbers. But they've
got to eat lead first" said the ranger,
grating his teeth.
"Our horses are already tired with
many days of travel to escape by fight
will be impossible!" said Paul. "Their
horses are all fresh!"
"That's so," said the major, "but I'll
tell you what you can do, Master Paul
your morse is a good one, and the one
Miss Stella rides can't be caught by any
four legs on the prairie. You ride on,
steering east, for dear life, with her and
her father, and We'll hold back end fight
the red devils and check the pursuit till
you get a start which you can keep"
Major Mccullough, you do not know
me-" said Paul, hastily, while the red
blood mounted through his cheek and up
TO his very temples. 81 love Miss
Delorme, and 1 know that she loves me,
but she would despise me as much as
would myself if l left you to fight while
l tried to ESCAPED No, sir-I do not leave
you, but share your fate, whatever
it isl"
"You are right, Paul that is an
answer which makes you moreAear to me
than ever esssaid Stella, in l5Hstone.
" Well-TperhePs ItWill be al the better
for I ) to keep together" SAID the Major
BSpur4tp, hsen-driye, your nags to tie
wen change horses again
when we get to the woods!"
The rangers obeyed; and the party,
keeping on at their topmost speed, soon
reached the spot where Jack Malerson
and his gang had been left.
That worthy and his band were in
precious ill-humor-stiff and sore with
the bonds that confined them; but gil
safe.
"Hurry and get In the fresh horses and
change your saddles!" cried Mccullough
to mis- men; "we've no time to lose
here!"
$50 you've got the girl, have you?
l s'pose you'll let US 60 now, won't your"
asked Malerson.
"No-curse you, no! Well leave you
here for the Comanches to play with"
said the Major, bitterly. "Secure all the
arms AM ammunition, men; we shall
use every ounce before night, Pm
thinking!"
"For heavens sake, unite US before
you go!" groaned the captain. "I'm
almost dead!"
"When you're quite so Che world will
be no loser, and hell one devil richer" |
said the Major, as he mounted fresh .
horse, which one of his men led up to .
him.
"If you won't let me loose, do let one
of your men give me q sip of rum-do it,
# you've single bowel OF compassion
eft" said Malerson piteously.
Mccullough paid no attention to this
appeal, but rode around and saw that his
men were al ready Tor g start, and all
mounted upon fresh horses out Stella,
whose tireIess steed was still more than
/ match for any one in the party. He
gave the word to move on, and once more,
It top speed, they dashed away, hoping
Almost against hope to distance the blood
hounds in their rear and to reach the set
dement's in time to receive help before
hey could be oVertaken.
AWay-away, scarce pauslng to glance
behind them, they flew, and far IN the
ear, like bowling gang of hungered
wolves, pressed their fierce pursuers.
CHAPTER XIV.
"Well, if this isn't cursed fix to be
eft in-tied up for bait for q lot of mad
Jomanches to prey on-it we were loose,
'ur horses dead stove up, and never a
nance to run. This comes of yielding
0 petticoat government and lettin' q
woman have her way! She's bound sure
0 lead man straight to the devil, or
lext door, at any rate!"
Thus growled old Jack Malerson as he
q % the RANGERS ride AWAY
"You've nobody to blame but Yourself,
Jap'n! You brought the gal amongst US,
nd was first to say, elect her queen!"
aid one of his men.
"Tnat's so!' growled another. "If
we'd minded our own Legitimate bust
less, and cracked cribs, picked pockets
nd cut threats decently at home, we
wouldn't be in this cursed sCrape now"
81 know it's my fault, men-I'm not
Ienying it," said the Captain. "BuG If
Id Jack Malerson ever does get out of this
Grape, if you catch him in such another
ou may fry him into soap-fat! I'd give
DOL thousand to be in the Old Arcade
'ver bowl of good punch about this
ime o. day! never was so dry in my
lfe!"
The Captain sighed-a deep long sigh of
Misery. To be dry without the power of
llevisting his peculiar thirst was to him
he very depth of wretchedness.
81 wonder how they got their girl?" he
ontinued, after pause. "Tney didn't I
COX as if they'd been fighting, and just
s many came back as went. counted
EN- l wonder what's come of Miss ]
ida? If she's with the Comanches that
re after the rangers, she may save US,